A REPRIEVE GRANTED.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1657, 6 March 1884, Page 2

A REPRIEVE GRANTED.

Many eh inning stories are told about Madame Risto 's great goodness and tenderness of heart. Here is one which is worth retelling :— ,, >'ome years since, while in the very zenith of her popularity, Madame Ristori phyed one night in the largest theatre in Madri , the Queen occupying the royal b>x. Raving gone behind the scene for change of costume, she was retiming to her place on tho stage when a woman rushed forward and threw herself at Madame Hist ri's feet. With that womanly sympathy which is one of her chief characteristics, the great tragedienne at once asked tho poor woman what was her great trouble. 'Oh madanie !Do you hear those bells tolling ? 1 hey are sounding the death knell of my son, who will be executed with an hour. You alone can save him !To you the Queen will grant anything you choose to ask this night. Oh madame, I beseech you, ask for the life of my boy.' Mada'i c i istori's heart was touched by the mother's agony, and, heedless of the clamor of the multitud ■•, uneasy at her prolonged absence, made, her way to the royal box, where she was seen in earnest cone'ave with her Majesty. The Queen was then observed to write something on a piece of paper and hand it to Madame Ristori, who curtsied deeply and left the box The came of the delay b came known, and when Madame Ristori at last stopped on the stage the enthusiasm of tStu multifcudeknewno bpuhlla^ UaudkeroJi ul's •vtMo -.va -ed, hats thrown l''u'pand for several momenta theco was hardly a dry eye in tho place."